1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a projector.
2. Related Art
To date, a projector including three optical modulation devices such as liquid crystal panels, a color synthesis optical device (a cross dichroic prism) which synthesizes color lights modulated by the corresponding optical modulation devices, and a projection optical device (a projection lens) which projects a synthesized light, has been known (for example, refer to JP-A-2001-281613).
In the projector described in JP-A-2001-281613, in order to cool the optical modulation devices, a sirocco fan is disposed adjacent to the projection optical device in such a way as to discharge air in a direction approximately parallel to a lens optical axis of the projection optical device.
Then, the air discharged from the sirocco fan is caused to blow on a lateral side of the optical modulation device (hereafter, a first optical modulation device) disposed in a state that the luminous flux incidence side end face is approximately parallel to the lens optical axis, and circulates through the light incidence side and light emission side of the first optical modulation device, cooling the first optical modulation device.
In JP-A-2001-281613, the projection optical device and color synthesis optical device are set to have approximately the same left-right direction length dimension in plan view from the upper side. That is, as the first optical modulation device is disposed in a position away from the projection optical device when seen from a projection side, it is possible to cause the air from the sirocco fan to blow on the lateral side of the first optical modulation device from the direction approximately parallel to the lens optical axis by disposing the sirocco fan in the way heretofore described.
However, as a miniaturization of the optical modulation devices and color synthesis optical device has been promoted in recent years, the first optical modulation device is disposed in a position hidden by the projection optical device when seen from the projection side. For this reason, in the existing situation in which the miniaturization has been promoted, even though the sirocco fan is disposed in the way heretofore described, it is not possible to cause the air from the sirocco fan to blow on the lateral side of the first optical modulation device from the direction approximately parallel to the lens optical axis.
Then, in order to cause the air from the sirocco fan to blow on the lateral side of the first optical modulation device, it is conceivable that a direction of discharge of the air from the sirocco fan is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the lens optical axis in plan view from the upper side.
However, when the direction of discharge is inclined in the way heretofore described, even though the air is caused to blow on the lateral side of the first optical modulation device, it is difficult for the air to enter the light incidence side (between the color synthesis optical device and first optical modulation device) of the first optical modulation device, reducing the efficiency of cooling the first optical modulation device.